A Retrospective Study of Recurrent Bacterial Meningitis in Children: Etiology, Clinical Course, and Treatment

OBJECTIVES: Recurrent bacterial meningitis (RBM) is a rare but life-threatening disease. This study aims to analyze the clinical features, potential causes, and therapeutic outcomes of RBM in children. METHODS: This article retrospectively reviews the clinical characteristics, etiologies, and treatments in children with RBM hospitalized in Hebei children's hospital from 2012 to 2020. RESULTS: A total of 10 children with RBM, five males and five females, were included in this study. The age of RBM in children spans from the neonatal stage to the childhood stage. The underlying illnesses were identified and classified as cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea (1 case), humoral immunodeficiency with Mondini dysplasia (1 case), common cavity deformity with cerebrospinal fluid ear leakage (1 case), Mondini malformations (2 cases), incomplete cochlear separation type I with a vestibular enlargement (2 cases), local inflammation of the sphenoid bone caused by cellulitis (1 case), congenital skull base defects (1 case), and congenital dermal sinus with intraspinal abscess (1 case). 6 patients chose targeted therapy for potential reasons. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital abnormalities or acquired injuries lead to intracranial communication with the outside world, which can quickly become a portal for bacterial invasion of the central nervous system, resulting in repeated infections.